- 


s  ^Oo^-^c-c-^wR,  ^hS-iK^j^ , 


XS 


>  ~l 


OPPORTUNITY 
MONOGRAPH 


m    Vocational 
Rehabilitation 
Series  No.  38 


Show 

Card 

Writing 


FOR  DISABLED  SOLDIERS,  SAILORS 
AND  MARINES  TO  AID  THEM 
IN  CHOOSING  A  VOCATION 


Frepared  bv  the 
FEDERAL  BOARD  FOR  VOCATIONAL  EDUCATION 

and  issued  in  cooperation  ivith  the 
Office  of  the  Surgeon  General,  War  Department,  and 
Bureau  of  Medicine  and  Surgery,  Na<uy  Department 

MAY,  1919 


WASHINGTON  :  GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE  :  Kit 


Note  to  the  Disabled  Soldier,  Sailor,  or  Marine. 

As  a  disabled  soldier,  sailor,  or  marine  you  should  remember  that 
the  Office  of  the  Surgeon  General,  War  Department,  and  all  its  em- 
ployees, the  Bureau  of  Medicine  and  Surgery,  Navy  Department, 
and  all  its  employees,  and  the  Federal  Board  for  Vocational  Education 
and  all  its  employees  are  mutually  interested  in  your  welfare  solely. 
They  have  arranged  a  definite  plan  of  cooperation  to  help  you  in  every 
possible  way.  You  can  not  afford  to  leave  the  hospital  until  the 
medical  officers  have  done  everything  that  they  can  for  you  to 
restore  you  to  physical  health  and  strength.  Any  other  course  will 
interfere  with  your  vocational  success  later.  Furthermore,  you  should 
by  all  means  take  advantage  of  the  educational  opportunities  which 
the  hospital  has  provided  for  you. 

"While  you  are  making  up  your  mind  what  line  of  work  you  want 
to  follow  you  should  take  advantage  of  the  opportunities  to  try  your- 
self out  in  the  different  lines  of  activities  which  are  provided  at  the 
hospital.  When  once  you  have  made  up  your  mind  as  to  the  employ- 
ment you  want  to  enter  or  the  kind  of  training  you  want  the  Federal 
Board  to  give  you  after  you  leave  the  hospital,  you  should  ask  the 
vocational  officers  at  the  hospital  to  provide  for  you  the  kind  of  train- 
ing which  will  advance  you  in  the  direction  of  the  occupation  which 
you  expect  to  follow  or  for  which  you  expect  to  be  trained  after  you 
leave  the  hospital.  You  will  find  the  educational  officers  at  the  hos- 
pital eager  to  render  this  service  for  you,  and  you  should  consult  them 
early  in  your  hospital  career. 

All  disabled  soldiers,  sailors,  and  marines  in  hospitals  who  want 
information  about  reeducation  should  ask  any  instructor  of  the  Hos- 
pital Educational  Service  or  the  representative  of  the  Federal  Board 
for  Vocational  Education. 

Men  discharged  from  the  military  or  naval  service  who  want  infor- 
mation should  write  to  or  call  at  the  office  of  the  Federal  Board  for 
Vocational  Education,  Washington,  D.  C,  or  the  District  Office  of 
the  Federal  Board  of  the  district  in  which  they  are  located.  The 
district  offices  of  the  Board  are  located  at  the  following  points:  Boston, 
New  York  City,  Philadelphia,  Washington,  Atlanta,  New  Orleans, 
Dallas,  St.  Louis,  Cincinnati,  Chicago.  Minneapolis,  Denver,  San 
Francisco,  and  Seattle.     For  addresses  see  p.  3 1. 

Acknowledgment. 

This  monograph  was  prepared  by  May  II.  Pope,  under  direction  of 
Charles  II.  Winslow,  Chief  of  the  Research  Division  of  the  Federal 
Board  for  Vocational  Education.  Acknowledgment  is  due  to  Dr. 
John  Cummings,  of  the  Research  Division,  for  editorial  assistance. 

(2) 


scA5bo°\o3^C 


SHOW-CARD  WRITING. 


The  purpose  of  the  show  card. 

A  man's  attention  is  attracted  through  his  sense  of  sight  more  readily 
than  in  any  other  way.  A  word,  a  phrase,  a  pithy  sentence  will  catch 
his  eye  and  focus  his  interest,  where  something  requiring  more  concen- 
tration would  fail.  For  this  reason  window  dressing  has  grown  into 
an  important  feature  of  every  merchant's  business,  and  cards  point- 
ing out  the  quality  and  prices  of  the  goods  displayed  are  univer- 
sally used.  These  show  cards  were  formerly  made  by  sign  painters, 
until  some,  more  farseeing  than  others,  realized  the  opportunity  to 
specialize  in  this  line  of  work,  which  has  now  developed  into  a  dis- 
tinctive trade. 

Different  types  of  cards. 

There  is  a  great;  variet  y  of  t  ypes  in  show  cards.  Some  are  large,  others 
are  small;  some  are  ornamented  with  designs  suitable  for  the  occasion, 
or  season,   or  goods 


to  be  featured  i n 
t  he  advertisement ; 
others  are  plain  nu- 
merals or  letters  giv- 
ing the  bare  detail 
of  cost.  As  these 
cards  are  shown  in 
t  he  street  cars,  on 
moving-picture  an- 
nouncements, on 
billboards  at  theater 
entrances,  as  well  as 
in  the  stores,  t  hey 
must  be  so  varied  as  to  be  appropriate  to  their  surroundings. 

A  practical  feature  in  writing  show  cards  is  the  selection  of  some 
special  design  or  slogan  with  which  the  article  or  firm  may  always  be 
associated  in  die  mind  of  the  public.  In  this  field  a  show-card  writer 
with  originality  is  aide  to  realize  materially  upon  his  ideas. 

Future  of  the  trade. 

Because  the  merchant  believes  that,  seeing  is  very  likely  to  mean 
buying  lie  finds  the  show-card  writer  indispensable  to  his  business. 
Whether  large  or  small,  every  store  needs  these  display  cards  with 
their  catchy  announcements  to  aid  in  promoting  business.  I'resent- 
day  competition  makes  it  necessary  that  every  known  means  of  attract- 
ing attention  shall  be  utilized  by  the  merchant  who  would  keep  up  in 
his  line.  Progressiveuess  in  store  management  has  occasioned  rapid 
growth  in  the  trade  of  card  writing  within  the  last  few  years,  and  the 
constantly  increasing  demand  lor  advertising  indicates  that  the  trade 
of  show-card  writing  has  an  assured  future. 


2?portnnlty 
onographs. 

As  a  disabled  man 
interested  in  how 
you  can  "carry 
on"  when  you  get 
back  home,  you 
can  not  afford  to 
miss  reading  the 
Opportunity 
Monographs  pub- 
lished by  the  Fed- 
eral Board  for  Vo- 
cational Educa- 
tion for  your  spe- 
cial benefit.  In 
them  you  will 
find,  plainly  and 
simply  stated,  all 
the  information 
you  need  about 
many,  many  oc- 
cupations in 
which  you  may 
be  interested.  By 
reading  them  jou 
will  know  better 
what  you  would 
like  to  do,  and  the 
representatives  of 
the  Federal 
Board,  wherever 
you  may  meet 
them,  in  hospital 
or  office  or  by  cor- 
respondence 
when  necessary, 
will  be  in  the  po- 
sition to  help  you 
make  your  choice 
of  what  you  want 
to  do,  help  you 
get  properly  pre- 
pared for  it,  and 
put  you  in  the 
proper  occupation 
after  you  have 
been  prepared  to 
stand  on  your  feet 
as  a  worker  in  it. 


11601S°— 19 


(3) 


Remember  this!   Equipment. 

A  handicap  is  a  For  the  man  possessing  limited  capital  the  small  cost  of  the  necessary 
you  have  one,  equipment  is  an  alluring  inducement  to  enter  the  trade.  A  few  dollars 
You  Rcan°  do^hat  wil1  cover  the  entire  cost.     Brushes,  pens,  penholder,  with  ink  retainer, 

and  no  one  else  ruler,  art  gum  or  sponge  rubber,  thumb  tacks,  combination  compass, 
can  do  it  for  you.  ,  _  r       > 

Grit  will  beat  any  a  pair  ot  large  shears,  a  T-square,  a  box  of  charcoal,  soft  lead  pencils. 

won  the*  war.  It  and  cardboard  make  up  the  list  of  necessary  material  for  the  show-card 
will  beat  yours,  writer.  A  good-sized  drawing  board  completes  the  list.  ''The  better 
Your  handicap  is  the  workman  the  fewer  the  tools''  has  been  said.  An  expert  card 
unles*>-oudare1CdeD-  writer  works  efficiently  with  a  board,  a  T-square,  and  a  half  dozen 
termined  to  make  thumb  tacks, 
it  one.    The  folks 

back  home  know  What  men  in  the  trade  should  know. 
that  you  do  not 

'endent  idle*  tor     ^  't>0O(*  general  education  is  essential  for  a  show-card  writer  who 

life,  and  the  Gov-  expects  to  be  more  than  merely  a  mechanical  maker  of  words  and 

to^help  you^re-  letters.     Those  who  become  expert  in  the  art  need  a  knowledge  of 

establish  ywirself  designing  and  an  originality  in  composing  effective  phrases,  such  as 

ment  as  an  inde-  can  not  be  resisted  even  by  those  who  read  the  cards  casually. 

with  every  oppor       A  practical  knowledge  of  the  geometric  construction  of  letters  is 

vancement°r   ^"fundamental,  for  though  simple  lettering  may  be  largely  mechanical 

work,  skill  must  not  be  confined  to  the  utilization  of  mechanical  means 
You  will  not  be    . 
compelled  to  take  alone. 

ever^but^vou  will  ^  knowledge  of  color  is  an  advantage  to  those  who  make  sign  cards, 
be  given  expert  Color  combinations  and  contrasts  play  an  important  part  in  producing 
getting  such  train-  attractive  cards.  As  card  writers  are  confronted  by  all  sorts  of  combi- 
you^hoobe't.otake  nations  of  words  in  inscriptions,  it  is  necessary  for  them  to  know  letter 
it.  Your  disahil-  forms;  to  understand  novelty  in  designing,  arrangement,  and  artistic 
win  not  be  reduced  embellishment;  and  to  exercise  taste  in  harmonizing  colors,  so  as  to 
ti^ng  and  learn  produce  cards  that  will  be  not  only  neat  and  attractive  but  at  the 
to  work.  Your  same  time  legible, 
wagas  will  be  ad- 

SwcoXTn-  What  men  in  the  trade  d0' 

tinuenin%the  same      Show-card  writers  make  price  tickets  and  all  types  of  trade  cards 

amount  that  will  used  in  windows,  on  special  sale  sections,  on  the  announcement  boards 

be  paid  if  you  do  .  .,        .  .  .  .      , 

not  take  training,  ot  theaters,  on  automobiles,  in  cafeterias,  in  street  cars,  and  wherever 

and  voiiaml1  your  <>l8e  tne  card  may  S('rve  as  a  proper  medium  for  advertising.     The 

family  will  be  trade  js  carried  on  in  different  ways.     Cards  are  sometimes  made  by 

ing  the  period  of  salesmen  who  give  only  part  of  their  time  to  this  work.     Other  writers 

to^-ouf'        SUP  K*ve  a"  °^  their  time  to  one  firm  requiring  a  large  number  of  cards  for 

its  own  use     Some  card  writers  work  for  show-card  firms  and  others 

have  their  own  offices  and  fill  special  orders. 

Opportunities. 

The  demand  for  show-card  writers  is  far  greater  than  the  supply, 
livery  small  town  offers  an  opening  for  one  or  more,  who  would  make 
a  good  living  at  the  trade  in  that  locality. 

How  men  are  trained. 

Many  card  writers  are  trained  in  the  shop.  Correspondence  courses 
afford  fair  advantages  to  the  man  who  must  save  time  and  money,  but 
personal  supervision  is  of  great  advantage,  and  personal  criticism  is 
essential  if  a  correspondence  course  is  taken.  Courses  in  card  writing 
are  now  offered  in  technical  schools  and  Y.  M.  C.  A.  classes  and  voca- 
tional schools  all  over  the  country.  Among  the  schools  now  offering 
courses  in  show-card  writing  are  the  following: 


Federal  School  of  Commercial  Art,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Idaho  Technical  Institute. 

Los  Angeles  Y.  M.  C.  A.  schools. 

St.  Louis  Y.  M.  C.  A.  schools. 

Lowry  Sign  and  Advertising  Service,  Chicago. 

Link's  Business  College,  Boise,  Idaho. 

State  Trade  School,  Danbury,  Conn. 

Appleton,  Wis.,  Industrial  School. 

Kenosha,  Wis.,  Vocational  School. 

Neenah,  Wis.,  Industrial  School. 

New  York  High  School. 

New  York  Vocational  Schools. 

Detroit,  Mich.,  School  of  Letters. 

Augustana  College,  Bock  Island,  111. 

College  of  Commerce,  De  Baul  University,  Chicago. 

School  of  Industrial  Arts,  Trenton,  N.  J. 

Koester  School,  Chicago. 

Semby  School,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
The  length  of  time  required  for  the  completion 
of  courses  depends  upon  the  student;  one  very 
good  course  covers  eight  weeks.  Some  students 
after  the  fifth  or  sixth  lesson  have  done  work 
sufficiently  creditable  to  bring  a  money  return. 
Proper  and  methodical  training  is  very  necessary. 
Care  and  exactness  must  first  bo  acquired  and 
speed  will  naturally  follow. 

Courses  given  in  show-card  writing  cover  such 
subjects  as  how  to  mix  and  when  to  use  water 
colors,  inks,  and  oils;  the  care  of  brushes  and 
pens;  the  proper  kind  and  color  of  cardboards  to 
use;  and  how  to  apply  bronze  and  diamond  dust. 
The  formation  of  pen  and  brush  letters  is,  of 
course,  fundamental,  and  the  principles  of  letter- 
ing must  be  taught  in  a  simple,  thorough,  and 
correct  way .  Proper  instruction,  with  application,  is  bound  to  bring 
success. 

BRIEF     SYNOPSIS    OF     THE    COURSE   IN    SHOW-CARD    WRITING    GIVEN    AT 
THE    KOESTER    SCHOOL,    CHICAGO. 


Will  yon 
Carry  on* 

If  none  of  tho  oc- 
cupations out- 
lined in  this  pam- 
phlot  are  possible 
ones  for  you  to 
learn,  the  Govern- 
ment has  pro- 
vided hundreds  of 
courses  in  other 
lines,  among 
which  there  is  one 
precisely  suited  to 
meet  your  needs  — 
one  in  which  you 
can  become  100 
per  cent  efficient, 
whatever  injury 
you  may  have  suf- 
fered. 

The  scheme  of 
oceu  nations  for 
which  training 
will  be  provided 
by  tho  Govern- 
ment free  of  cost 
to  you  includes 
more  diflerent 
sorts  of  employ- 
ments than  you 
have  ever  heard 
tell  of.  Tf  you 
don't  find  one 
that  suits  you  in 
this  pamphlet,  get 
another. 

After  you  have 
heen  trained. 
Uncle  Sam  will 
undertake  to  find 
an  employer  who 
needs  your  help, 
or  if  you  prefer  to 
go  it  on  your  own, 
you  will  be  pro- 
vided with  an  out- 
fit of  tools. 

If  the  training 
misses  fire  the  first 
time  and  you  find 
the  new  occupa- 
tion unsuited  to 
you , you  can  come 
back  for  another 
go  in  the  game, 
and  try  a  new 
occupation. 


Lesson  plates  Nos.  1  to  6. — Improved  method  for  teaching  correct  formation  and  relative 
proportions  of  letters  and  numerals. — Brush  method. 

General  instructions. —  Proper  materials,  student's  worktable,  light,  how  to  care  for 
brushes,  show-card  paint,  how  to  practice,  kind  of  practice  that  counts,  lesson  plates 
explained,  how  to  fill  the  brush,  how  to  bring  the  brush  to  working  point,  how  to  hold 
the  brush,  position  at  table,  position  of  paper. 

Lesson  plates  Xos.  7  to  10 — Single  stroke  rapid  roman  lettering. — How  to  begin  the 
practice,  time-saving  methods,  how  to  hold  (lie  brush,  various  positions  of  the  brush 
explained,  how  to  manipulate  the  brush  to  produce  clean-cut  strokes,  purpose  of  single- 
stroke  vertical  and  italic  roman  lettering. 

Lesson  plates  Xos.  11  and  12 — How  to  shade  letters. — Various  styles  of  shading,  proper 
colors  for  shading,  shading  as  an  embellishment,  shading  to  give  emphasis. 

Lesson  plates  .Yos.  13  to  Hi — Single  strokt  cgyptian  lettering. —  Brushes  to  use,  how  to 
hold  the  brush,  how  to  manipulate  the  brush  to  produce  the  proper  stroke,  how  to 
practice  the  elementary  lines  and  curves. 

Lesson  plates  Nos.  17  and  IS — Single  and  demble  stroke  alphabet  and  numerals. —  Purpose 
of  this  style  of  letter,  brushes  to  use,  method  explained,  different  methods  of  finishing 
the  letters. 


$25  or  $10  a  Luton  plate  Xo.  19— Single-stroke  old  English  alphabet.— Purpose  of  old  English  lettering 

Weekl  now  t0  hold  the  brush,  retouching  the  principal  strokes. 

What  is  the  dif-      Lesson  plate  Xo.  SO— Singh-stroke  modified  roman  pen  lettering—  Advantages  of  pen 
Terence     between  lettering  for  text  or  descri  pt  ive  mat  ter,  inks  to  use ,  how  to  practice  pen  lettering,  how  to 
$2S  and  $10  a  week;  hold  tne  p(.n  now  t0  manipulate  the  pen  to  procure  clcan-cu  t  strokes,  how  to  use  an  ink 
between    comfort  .  '     .    ....   .         . , *       ,    ■ 

and  poverty:  be-  reservoir  to  facilitate  rapid  work. 

tween  independ-  Fifteen  practical shou -card  layouts.— In  the  foregoing  lessons  the  student  acquires  suffi- 
ence  and  the  con-  cient  ability  to  enable  him  to  make  practical  use  of  his  knowledge.  Thealphabetscovered 
pendency!  b£  are  sufficient  for  general  show-card  use.  Therefore,  at  this  point,  the  course  presents 
tw-een  saving  for  a  15  practical  layouts  showing  how  the  text  should  be  separated  into  display  lines  and 
rainy  day  and  liv-  dcscriptive  groups,  also  various  st  yles  of  letters  that  may  be  used  in  harmony  for  display 
mouth™  The  dil  and  descriptive  matter.  An  appropriate  -how-card  phrase  is  used  for  each  layout, 
ference  is  one  of  Display  lines  and  descriptive  groups  arc  indicated  in  the  exact  size  and  styles  of  letters 
training.  It  is  the  t  i  „  ,  in  ictterine  each  layout.  Specific  directions  as  to  color,  combinations,  and 
difference         be-       ,    ,„  ,  "  •        ,",,. 

tween  the  trained  embellishments  arc  given  for  each  layout. 

and  the  untrained  A  study  in  design  and  layout.— The  principles  of  spacing,  importance  of  show-card 
tak" 'trahiinEef0re'  ded8mngi b<*t  rules  for  spacing,  lessons  in  spacing,  how  to  center  a  word  or  line. 

Condensing  and  extending  letters.— now  to  plan  lettering  to  fit  a  given  space,  rules  for 
condensing,  rules  for  extending,  appropriate  uses  of  condensed  and  extended  letters, 
practice  exercises. 

Principles  of  the  balanced  layout.— Balanced  layout  denned,  how  to  plan  the  balanced 
layout,  important  points  to  observe,  example  >  of  balanced  layout ,  practice  exercises  in 
balanced  layouts. 

Border  lines,  underscore,  space  fillers,  and  panels.— Brush  ruling,  how  to  draw  an 
ellipse,  initial  panels,  initial  letters,  a  few  card  kinks. 

The  group  layout.— How  to  plan  the  group  layout,  examples  of  group  layout,  practice 
exercises  in  group  layout. 

Combination  layout.— Purpose  of  the  combination  layout,  how  to  divide  the  phrase 
into  display  lines  and  groups  for  the  combination  layout,  examples  of  combination 
layouts,  exercises  in  combination  layouts. 

Price  tickets. — Normal  style  price  tickets,  bold  style  price  tickets,  small  price  tickets, 
fancy  price  tickets,  illustrative  price  tickets,  practice  exercises. 

Illustrated  show  cards.— Sources  of  ideas,  tracing  from  clipped  illustrations,  how  to  use 
the  pantograph  for  enlarging  illustrations,  the  mirrorscope,  examples  of  appropriate 
designs  for  various  purposes,  exercises  in  illustrated  show  cards. 

Principles  of  col  or  f— Color  contrasts. — II  ow  to  mix  water-color  paint,  color  effects; 
color  combination;  mixing  standard  colors  to  produce  shades,  tints,  and  unusual  colors; 
lessons  in  color  combinations. 

Shoir-card  embellishment. — Dry-color  blending;  spatter  work;  relief  lettering;  applying 
mctallics,  diamond  dust,  flock,  etc.;  phrase  and  picture  filing;  seasonable  embellish- 
ments; floral  decorations;  poster  cut-outs;  silhouettes;  how  to  paint  muslin  signs. 

Instruction  in  the  use  of  t lit  air  brush. — Principles  of  the  air  brush;  sectional  view  of  an 
air  brush;  illustrating  and  describing  all  important  parts;  air  pressure;  how  to  put  a 
gas  outfit  together:  colors  for  air-brush  use;  how  to  use  the  air  brush:  care  oft  he  airbrush; 
how  to  cut  stencils;  practice  exercises  to  gain  control  of  brush;  color  blending;  exercises 
in  the  u<e  of  stencil  designs. 

Lesson  plate  Xo.  */.— Single-stroke  alphal>et  and  numerals  for  modern  speed  ballpen 
lettering. 

Lesson  plati  Vo.  .'.'. — filiform  single-stroke  alphalx-t  and  numerals  for  Payzant  pen 
lettering. 

Li  i.toti  jilnii  Vo.  .'  '. — Single-stroke  I'ayzanl  or  -peed  ball  pen  alphabet  with  retouched 
spur-. 

Ltsson  plait    .Vo.   »4. —  Speed  ball  pen  initial  capitals,  retouched  and  embellished. 
f.rxson  plati    .Vo.   .'.;.  -outline  roui.ni  initial  emlH'llished  capitals,    plain   lower-case 
letters. 

I.' -yon  jihitt  Xo.  2'!.— Modern  roman  and  fancy  alphabets  for  music  pen  lettering. 
Lismn  plait   .Vo.  ?7.— Old  Knglish  text  |ien,  and  small  speed  ball  jx'ii  alphabets. 
Lesson  plait    Vo    :-       S|n>cd  ball  jmti  alphabets. 

Lesson  iihitt    Vo      ■      Itapid  single-stroke1  ant ique  roman  brush  alphaliet. 
Lft.-on  platt    Vo.    ti      I:  ipid  -ingle-stroke  modified  roman  brush  alphabet. 
lit  '        ingle-   troke  antique  alphabc  t  and  numerals. 

Qualifications. 

Anyone  who  fan  learn  <o  write  can  learn  to  draw  or  paint  letters  for 
.-hew  farcin.     It  is  tmt  es.-ential  to  have  artistic  ability,  although  this 


the  reputation  of 
beina,  just  a  little 
ahead  of  the  rest 


Samples  of  show-card  writing. 


8 

Examples  to        would  be  an  asset  in  the  trade;  a  steady  hand  and  a  correct  eye  are  the 
only  requirements,  and  it  is  well  to  remember  that  "the  sight  that 
te/ whose  lefUeg  insures  correct  drawing  is  not  that  of  the  eye  only,  but  of  the  mind. " 
was    amputea 
above  the  knee  on  rrnnj:„.,n„ 
account  of  injuries  nanaicaps. 
received  in  battle 

studied   machine     Good  eyesight  is  essential,  but  almost  no  handicap  other  than  blind- 
desipning  and  is  ... 

now  employed  by  ness,  or  the  loss  of  both  arms,  is  prohibitive.     It  is  an  advantage  to  have 

both  hands,  but  the  fact  that  one-armed  men  have  so  clearly  demon- 

Another  soldier  strated  their  ability  to  write  as  legibly  as  others  with  both  hands  in- 
suflered     with  ,         ,  J  °      J.  .  , 

chronic  bronchitis  dicates  that  the  difficulty  for  a  man  with  one  hand  becoming  a  snow- 

folf ittelwJ  card  writer  can  be  overcome. 

able  to  return  to 

UonTsTba?-'  Desirability  for  the  disabled  man. 

tender.     He  was 

trained  as  a  motor      The  work  is  not  heavy,  the  hours  may  be  adjusted  to  the  strength  of 
mechanic  and  se-  •"  .        J  J  ° 

cured  an  open-air  the  worker,  the  prospects  for  work  in  the  trade  are  iavorable,  and  the 

Position  asc    u "  pay  is  good — all  of  which  characterizes  the  trade  as  one  suitable  for 

.  .         disabled  men.     A  chief  attraction  which  show-card  writing  holds  out 
A  former  laborer  .  °      . 

was  weakened  by  for  the  handicapped  man  is  the  freedom  allowed  in  the  choice  of  a 
in^he  backhand  working  place.     He  may  be  independent,  not  only  in  the  place  of  his 

abdomen.  He  was  worv    ])U(j  jn  selecting:  his  own  hours  for  work.     This  liberty  means 
given  a  course  in  '  °  .  .   J 

mechanical  draw-  much  for  a  man  who  is  physically  below  normal.     The  conditions  under 

employed  ^iif0  a  which  a  writer  of  show  cards  works  are  favorable,  both  as  to  time  and 
drafting  room.        place 

A  soldiersuffering 

from  chronic  ne-  Remuneration. 

phntis,  formerly 
a  farmer,  studied 
machine  -shop       Show-card  writing  is  a  fascinating  art  and  brings  good  profits.     For 

now  employed  in  this  reason  its  appeal  will  be  strong  to  the  wounded  soldier, 
mot o? comnanv  &  ^n  exact  standard  of  prices  has  never  been  possible  for  card  writing, 
as  so  much  depends  upon  the  quality  of  the  work  and  the  time  required 
helper  lost  the  to  make  the  cards.  The  cost  of  the  material  is  negligible;  but  show 
fefTerhandUSewas  carc^s  have  an  intrinsic  value  to  the  merchant,  who  is  usually  willing  to 
retrained    'in     a  pay  for  them. 

engineering,    and       Card  writers  make  from  $2o  to  $75  a  week.     Advertising  cards,  being 
as  "a* V  sITuonary  °*  a  temporary  nature,  must  be  inexpensive.     Rapidity  is  necessary, 
engineer     in     a  in  order  to  make  it  profitable,  as  the  writers  are  usually  paid  by  piece- 
work.    The  example  may  be  cited  of  a  hunchback  who  began  show- 
card  writing  at  S3  a  week  and  by  his  energy  and  application  rose  to  a 
salary  of  $40  in  a  short  while. 

A  lack  of  application  or  giving  way  1o  discouragement  over  first 
attempts  may  cause  failure,  but  for  no  other  reason  should  a  disabled 
man  who  desires  to  become  a  writer  of  trade  cards  feel  the  slightest 
fearof  the  undertaking.  Begin  the  course  with  a  determination  to 
succeed,  and  remember  that  lack  of  confidence  is  not  conducive  to 
success  in  any  trade.  Learn  the  principle  strokes  with  great  care, 
practice  diligently  until  dexterity  is  acquired,  work  without  hesita- 
tion, boldly  and  with  enthusiasm,  and  in  a  short  time  there  will  be 
acquired  expert nesa  in  a  trade  which  is  interesting,  agreeable,  and 
lucrative. 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A  A      000  068  254    2 


Samples  of  show-card  writing. 


FEDERAL  BOARD  FOR  VOCATIONAL  EDUCATION. 

MEMBERS. 

David  F.  Houston,  Chairman.  James  P.  Munroe,  Vice  Chairman, 

Secretary  of  Agriculture.  Manufacture  and  Commerce. 

William  C.  Redfield,  Calvin  F.  McIntosh, 

Secretary  of  Commerce.  Agriculture. 

William  B.  Wilson,  Arthur  E.  Holder, 

Secretary  of  Labor.  Labor. 

P.  P.  Claxton, 

Commissioner  of  Education. 

EXECUTIVE  STAFF. 

C.  A.  Prosser.  Director. 

Layton  S.  Hawkins,  Chief  Vocational  Education  Division. 
Charles  H.  Winslow,  Chief  Research  Division. 
II.  L.  Smith,  Chief  Rehabilitation  Division. 

(10) 


DISTRICT    VOCATIONAL   OFFICES    OF   THE   FEDERAL   BOARD   FOR 
VOCATIONAL  EDUCATION. 

All  disabled  soldiers,  sailors,  and  marines,  whether  in  or  out  of  the  hospital,  should  address  their 
communications  either  to  the  Federal  Board  for  Vocational  Education,  Washington,  D.  C,  or  to 
the  district  office  of  the  Federal  Board  of  the  district  in  which  they  are  located.  The  district  offices 
of  the  Board  are  located  at  the  following  points,  respectively: 

District  No.  1, — Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  Massachusetts,  and  Rhode  Island.  Office: 
Room  1201  Little  Building,  80  Boylston  Street,  Boston,  Mass.  Branch  office :  Rooms  324-326  Masonic 
Building,  Portland,  Me. 

District  No.  2.— Connecticut,  New  York,  and  New  Jersey.  Office:  469  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York, 
N.  Y. 

District  No.  3.— Pennsylvania  and  Delaware.  Office:  1211  Chestnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Branch  office:  Room  491  Union  Arcade  Building,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

District  No.  4. — District  of  Columbia,  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  West  Virginia.  Office:  606  F  Street 
NW.,  Washington,  D.  C.  Branch  offices:  Room  400  Flat  Iron  Building,  Norfolk,  Va.;  Room  411 
Park  Bank  Building,  104  West  Lexington  Street,  Baltimore,  Md. 

District  No.  5. — North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Florida,  and  Tennessee.  Office:  Room 
823  Forsyth  Building,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

District  No.  6.— Alabama,  Mississippi,  and  Louisiana.  Office:  Rooms  412-432  Maison  Blanche 
Annex,  New  Orleans,  La. 

District  No.  7. — Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Kentucky.  Office :  Rooms  1212-1214  Mercantile  Library  Build- 
ing, Cincinnati,  Ohio.  Branch  office:  Home  Service  Section,  American  Red  Cross,  Park  Building, 
Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Ditrict  No.  8. — Michigan,  Illinois,  and  Wisconsin.  Office:  Room  1600  The  Westminster,  110  South 
Dearborn  Street,  Chicago,  111.    Branch  office:  Room  807  Owen  Building,  Detroit  Mich. 

District  No.  9. — Iowa,  Nebraska,  Kansas,  and  Missouri.  Office :  Rooms  815-824  Chemical  Building, 
St.  Louis,  Mo.    Branch  office:  Room  413  Massachusetts  Building,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 

District  No.  10. — Minnesota,  North  Dakota,  and  South  Dakota.  Office:  Room  712  Metropolitan 
Bank  Building,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

District  No.  11. — Wyoming,  Colorado,  New  Mexico,  and  Utah.  Office:  Room  400  Mercantile 
Bnilding,  Denver,  Colo. 

District  No.  12. — California,  Nevada,  and  Arizona.  Office:  Room  997  Monadnock  Building,  San 
Francisco,  Calif. 

District  No.  13. — Montana,  Idaho,  Oregon,  and  Washington.  Office:  Room  539  Central  Building, 
Seattle,  Wash. 

District  No.  14.  —  Arkansas,  Oklahoma,  and  Texas.  Office:  Room  810  Western  Indemnity  Building, 
1000  Main  Street,  Dallas,  Tex. 

(11) 


